Japan closing borders due to Omicron--GPF canceled

[floridaice]

Japan is closing it's borders to all travel due to Omicron. No Grand Prix finals?

New York Times article

 

[skatfan]

Japan is closing it's borders to all travel due to Omicron. No Grand Prix finals?

New York Times article

Wow. Apparently there will be a few exceptions, but I’m not sure a skating competition with travelers from a variety of countries will be spared.

 

[Karen-W]

I expect that the GPF will go forward - I would anticipate that there will be similar travel/bubble restrictions like there were for the NHK participants a few weeks ago and also for WTT last spring when travel restrictions were much tighter.

ETA - reading the articles/news blurbs on several sites (CNN, Financial Times), it sounds like they're going back to the tight entry requirements they had in place prior to 3 weeks ago, and I'm positive that the JSF and ISU would have organized NHK based on whatever restrictions were in place in the late summer/early fall before any easing of restrictions. I can't imagine that the GPF/JGPF aren't being organized under similar conditions and that it will go forward as scheduled.

 

[YukiNieve]

I am surprised that PM Kishida was so quick to decide stricter measures re C****.
I think he wants to demonstrate that he has more leadership on this matter than previous PMs.

JSF responded to a query by Japanese media as "we cannot answer anything at this moment."

ETA
Japanese skaters who train abroad may need to come home to prepare for Japanese Nationals asap; otherwise they may lose more practice time than before due to stricter quarantine rules.

 

[japanice]

You can bet your last money that the Grand Prix Final will be held as scheduled. Too many Japanese companies will incur significant losses if it is cancelled at this late date. The plan was already to hold it in a bubble. I expect foreign skaters, coaches, judges and officials to all be allowed in. The fact that several Japanese skaters are scheduled to compete is also significant.

 

[misskarne]

You can bet your last money that the Grand Prix Final will be held as scheduled. Too many Japanese companies will incur significant losses if it is cancelled at this late date. The plan was already to hold it in a bubble. I expect foreign skaters, coaches, judges and officials to all be allowed in. The fact that several Japanese skaters are scheduled to compete is also significant.

Is it big enough?

I know for us skating is the centre of the universe, but we have to remember that in the wider scheme of things it is still a smaller niche sport. Is the GPF a big enough sporting event in Japan that it will go ahead at all costs despite others being barred?

 

[japanice]

If Japan were to cancel the Grand Prix Final so close to the Olympics, it would look very bad, especially in light of the absence of any data. Seiko Hashimoto, who was in charge of the recent Tokyo Olympics, is also the former president of the Japan Skating Federation. More importantly, she is a member of the same political party as the Prime Minister.

 

[rfisher]

Is it big enough?

I know for us skating is the centre of the universe, but we have to remember that in the wider scheme of things it is still a smaller niche sport. Is the GPF a big enough sporting event in Japan that it will go ahead at all costs despite others being barred?

Center of the universe? Most people in the US have a vague notion of figure skating happening at the Olympics or went to an ice show once upon a time. I can say with complete assurance I am the only person at my place of employment, including 100s of students, who has a clue who Nathan Chen might be. Most of the country doesn't have an ice rink where skaters can train and those in the NE are focused on ice hockey which is much more well known.

 

[Carolla5501]

I can also see the ISU rescheduling it which would be a real problem



reading about the travel restrictions, I don’t see how this event can happen in two weeks in Japan. I don’t see any exceptions for figure skating or any other sporting events. And I do agree if you are a figure skater training outside the country and you need to be in Japan you better get on the plane today

Japan bans foreign visitors for 1 month over Omicron fears

Japan will close its borders to new entries by foreigners amid concern over the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says as he vowed to move quickly to "avoid the worst-case scenario."

english.kyodonews.net

 

[Carolla5501]

Center of the universe? Most people in the US have a vague notion of figure skating happening at the Olympics or went to an ice show once upon a time. I can say with complete assurance I am the only person at my place of employment, including 100s of students, who has a clue who Nathan Chen might be. Most of the country doesn't have an ice rink where skaters can train and those in the NE are focused on ice hockey which is much more well known.

You did notice that the us you are ranting about was was not capitalized. I believe the post was referring to people like you and I - not the United States. ?

 

[Tavi]

Center of the universe? Most people in the US have a vague notion of figure skating happening at the Olympics or went to an ice show once upon a time. I can say with complete assurance I am the only person at my place of employment, including 100s of students, who has a clue who Nathan Chen might be. Most of the country doesn't have an ice rink where skaters can train and those in the NE are focused on ice hockey which is much more well known.

I think she meant skating is the center of the FSU /figure skating fan’s universe, not the US universe.

 

[olympic]

IDK. 2020 Worlds was CXL just a week plus in advance, so it is possible it won't happen.

 

[Seerek]

The Winter Universiade that was scheduled for Lucerne, SUI for December has been cancelled

https://twitter.com/Lucerne2021/status/1465299339157426186?t=rUeH306QFgh4GYwS3SfUJw&s=19

 

[Frau Muller]

I think we’re cooked. I’m still hoping against hope that the G-P Final happens.

US Nationals in Nashville? USFS may want to make arrangements to fly those cut-outs from Vegas to Nashville. Hope I’m wrong…

 

[Coco]

Moscow can host pairs and ladies

 

[Rukia]

Every morning this season I wake up and click on this forum ready to see what new chaos this year has brought to us hahaha. I expect Japan will do everything to make sure that the GP Final happens. Best of luck to everyone involved.

 

[PRlady]

Every morning this season I wake up and click on this forum ready to see what new chaos this year has brought to us hahaha. I expect Japan will do everything to make sure that the GP Final happens. Best of luck to everyone involved.

Since at the moment most countries are focusing on southern Africa, where no GPF skater hails from or (presumably) has been recently, perhaps that would help. Although I fully expect the variant to show up pretty much everywhere in the next 48 hours, it's in Canada already.

 

[Carolla5501]

Since at the moment most countries are focusing on southern Africa, where no GPF skater hails from or (presumably) has been recently, perhaps that would help. Although I fully expect the variant to show up pretty much everywhere in the next 48 hours, it's in Canada already.

Governments specialize in response after the fact.

The truth is that by the time any variant is identified it’s too late to stop it

 

[Primorskaya]

Sorry about the joke but isn't skating pretty Big In Japan? As in, more so than in EU or the US? That could mean more negative noise and loss of earnings if it doesn't go ahead.
OK probably clutching at straws here. But logic hasn't always been the dominant influence in the international crud-response so...

 

[PRlady]

Phil Hersh posted:

"The International Skating Union is aware of the recent announcement made by Japanese authorities to restrict entry into Japan. We are in constant contact with Japanese Skating Federation and the Japanese authorities to clarify new evolving situation. . ."

 

[MacMadame]

Center of the universe? Most people in the US have a vague notion of figure skating happening at the Olympics

I believe the "us" in @misskarne's post was FSU. Especially since she's not in the US.

 

[maatTheViking]

Since at the moment most countries are focusing on southern Africa, where no GPF skater hails from or (presumably) has been recently, perhaps that would help. Although I fully expect the variant to show up pretty much everywhere in the next 48 hours, it's in Canada already.

Yes, I don't even think it makes sense to close borders. Maybe for insular island like Iceland or Japan, but I think there would already have been travelers. And just because it was discovered in South Africa doesn't mean it originated there. SA has a decent tourist industry, and probably have many travelers - in or out.

I really think this thing is going continue to mutate, and the less people world wide who are vaccinated the more opportunities the mutating will have.

 

[barbarafan]

Since at the moment most countries are focusing on southern Africa, where no GPF skater hails from or (presumably) has been recently, perhaps that would help. Although I fully expect the variant to show up pretty much everywhere in the next 48 hours, it's in Canada already.

yes...last evening 2 ppl tested positive. They had recently been to Nigeria.

 

[MacMadame]

Yes, I don't even think it makes sense to close borders.

Not only does not make sense but what if this strain is more transmissible but milder? In that case, you'd want it in your country so it could push out Delta.

Of course, in the US we don't close borders but we say people from about half the countries that have the variant can't come here. But the other half can. It's so dumb.

 

[rink_mom]

yes...last evening 2 ppl tested positive. They had recently been to Nigeria.

and another 2 this morning :/

 

[barbarafan]

and another 2 this morning :/

Wow- they are saying (they believe) caught on a plane where there was a stop in Hong KOng. They were under quarantine so hopefully did not spread far.

 

[rink_mom]

Wow- they are saying (they believe) caught on a plane where there was a stop in Hong KOng. They were under quarantine so hopefully did not spread far.

?

 

[Cayuse]

Wow- they are saying (they believe) caught on a plane where there was a stop in Hong KOng. They were under quarantine so hopefully did not spread far.

Traveling to anywhere now could be detrimental to skaters hoping to compete in the Olympics. Skipping the Grand Prix Final might be the best option for all the skaters. Yes, very disappointing to us (small letters intentional ) fans wanting to see the drama of the head to head battles.

 

[manhn]

If Japan is closing their borders to basically everyone except figure skaters, will the skaters get their own planes or something? I would imagine a carrier like Air Canada would cancel their flights to and from Japan.

 

[skatfan]

Not only does not make sense but what if this strain is more transmissible but milder? In that case, you'd want it in your country so it could push out Delta.

Of course, in the US we don't close borders but we say people from about half the countries that have the variant can't come here. But the other half can. It's so dumb.

It is way too early to claim it is a milder form. The Dr from who this quote is taken has said that it was cherry-picked, that there are plenty of severe cases of Omicron.